Between White and Black
by Phayte
Summary: AU: Sora's caught by a cry for help and a destiny he didn't even know he had. (Rated for graphic scenes and brief nudity in chap7 and beyond)RS
1. Call of Duty and Cry for Help

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

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**(This song will have signifance to the fic, think of it like a theme song)**

_"Wash Away Those Years" -Creed_

_She came calling  
One early morning  
She showed her crown of thorns  
She whispered softly  
To tell a story  
About how she had been wronged  
As she lay lifeless  
He stole her innocence  
And this is how she carried on  
This is how she carried on  
  
Well I guess she closed her eyes  
And just imagined everything's alright  
But she could not hide her tears  
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years  
They were sent to wash away those years  
  
My anger's violent  
But still I'm silent  
When tragedy strikes at home  
I know this decadence Is shared by millions  
Remember you're not alone  
Remember you're not alone  
  
Well if you just close your eyes  
And just imagine everything's alright  
But do not hide your tears  
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years  
Well if you just close your eyes  
And just imagine everything's alright  
But do not hide your tears  
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years  
They were sent to wash away those years  
Maybe we can wash away those years  
  
For we have crossed many oceans  
And we labor in between  
In life there are many quotients  
And I hope I find the mean  
the mean, the mean  
  
Well if you just close your eyes  
And just imagine everything's alright  
But do not hide your tears  
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years  
Well if you just close your eyes  
And just imagine everything's alright  
But do not hide your tears  
'Cause they were sent to wash away those years  
Maybe we can wash away those years  
I hope that you can wash away those years_

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**CHAPTER 1:**

"It's been long, but I knew you'd come Sora."

"H-how do you know me?" That voice, that voice knew him, knew him to his soul, but Sora didn't know that voice, at least, he couldn't place it anywhere.

"Thou art noble Sora, you really are willing to help anyone in need. And we ARE in desperate need of you Sora."

Fog Sora didn't even notice faded away rather quickly, in its place, the islands stood bleak and colorless, as if an uncolored page in a coloring book. Even the water was a solid light grey.The site was dismal, and almost heartbreaking. It took Sora a moment to notice he was on a beach.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"This world, is dying. The color drains from it more and more every day, as does the life. You are the only one who can fix this."

There was no life on these islands, none that Sora could see. He squinted, grey lifelessness stretched his entire vision, until he saw something move against the backdrop. So insignificant it was, he would not have noticed it if it weren't for the momentary grey the white cape made when it billowed in an unfelt breeze. A person with the build of a man seemed to emerge from that cape, as palid as the island Sora recognized as a replica of his home, or was this his home? The one thing that stood out, was the intense emerald of the man's eyes. They shocked Sora, even made him take a faultering step backward, they searched him, picking through his mind to find....something.

"This world is losing it's light, it needs you Sora."

"M-me? Light? Tell me what you're talking about?!" Feeling bold, he stamped a foot forward and balled his hand into a fist, this man was talking a fool's language and Sora wouldn't be taken for an idiot!

"What have you in that world? They take you for fools, and will harm you." A small spark of cold humor passed before those eyes, and suddenly, Sora realized this a dream.

"Let me out of this world! My friends will NOT hurt me!"

"If you wish to leave, I will not stop you, but hear this, your light is waisted on those already submerged within darkness. You are needed and appreciated here dear Light-Bringer. I will wait for you." The man's eyes shone with sincerity that touched Sora's soul and a reluctance to leave nearly broke him. However, a second later, a doorway appeared before him and he without second thought, he stepped through.

"It is planted, and soon it will flourish." The man turned, his cape billowing out to his side, encouraged by another unfelt breeze, and walked back up the beach to wait. Years had gone by, a few more weeks were nothing.

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Sora jerked away, gasping to regain his breath. He clutched at the air, seeking something solid while he jerked his body upright. His brain momentarily registered a noise, a loud thump, that came from somewhere near his bedroom door.

"Jees don't DO that!" Riku sat on the floor just in front of Sora's bedroom door, he was rubbing his backside with one hand while trying to push himself up with the other. "-scared the crap outta me!"

Sora'd regained his breath and tried to hide the light coloring on his cheeks and the laugh that wanted to burst from his lungs. Riku did look startled, "Sorry bout that, what're you doing here anyway?"

"It's two o'clock you lazy bum! I came to wake you 'cause we were supposed to go see that secret place again hours ago! When I got here, your mom was worried!"

Sora scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously, "That's what happens when you get to bed late...." His thoughts turned momentarily to that dream, it was, strange to say the least.

"Have that dream again?" Riku came to sit next to Sora on his bed looking at him intensly. Those aqua eyes demanded an answer and who was Sora to object.

"Well, kind'a. But this time, it was different. There was a guy there, he was talking about light and darkness or...SOMEthing. He said my light was waisted here." Sora's face screwed up in thought.

Riku watched Sora think. Sora was into all that dream stuff, it all meant something and even a few times, he interpreted Riku's dreams. Riku thought it was ridiculous at the start, but Sora was avid about it and what he'd sometimes said made sense. "Well, I dunno what that means, but you're not waisted here." Riku ruffled Sora's hair and stood up, "Now get dressed, Kairi and I have an idea on how to get that forsaken door open."

But, apparently, Sora was not done with thought world, (I'm hyper at twelve-thirty at night, what do u want from me?) "He said he needed my help."

Riku stopped his advancement (is that a word?) to the door and turned around. He paused a moment before walking back and bending down to look Sora in the eyes. Sora colored somewhat at their proximity but held Riku's gaze. "Sora, listen. You don't know him, you can't trust what he's saying is true. And if you leave me here with Kairi and Selphie, I will go completely insane then track you down and torture you so that you go just as insane as me. Mk?" He grinned, snapping his eyes shut. He stood and turned to the door, waving a hand over his shoulder, "Now hurry up lazy bum! We're all waiting for you!"

Sora gaped for a minute, he sounded serious! Oh well, he laughed. He'd recieved that threat more than once when Sora even hinted at leaving him with two very hyper girls. This time, it seemed intense, as if Riku'd thought he was leaving forever. Sora laughed again, he'd never up and leave like that, not without Riku. It was a pact they made looooong ago, before Kairi had come. They would get off this island together. But first, they had to figure out what was behind that door.

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**A/N: So, there are things in the fanfic that are going to be like Callisto's "Dreams". And there's a very good reason for that, I was reading her lovely fic (recommened, it's SO cool) and an idea spawned from it. I give her credit for this idea, but it won't be like reading the same thing, I promise. **

**For all those out there who've read even one book of the "Wheel of Time" series, you'll notice I actually start to go into that dialect. I can't help it, I love that series and I've just picked it up. -.-**

**Along with that, this idea has gripped me so much that I'm putting other fics on hold until this one is done. Unless my other fics spark an idea. Sorry for the inconvenience, but, I hope u like this ficcy!**

**Also, read "Dreams" cuz it's good! - is a walking advertisment-**

**PS: hey, does anyone really know how to beat Sephiroth on this game?! I'm wicked high in levels, have ultima, and yet, I'm a wimp ;.; What is this man's weakness?! -Goes SD w/big fat tears-**


	2. Feeding the Seed

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

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**CHAPTER 2:**

Sora was up and ready within minutes, trying to puzzle out Riku's new plot for opening that door. Every effort they'd made so far proved ineffectual: prying it open, lifting it out, searching for a knob or keyhole, the door didn't even have hinges! They'd even tried setting it on fire once, but it didn't burn. Back when Sora believed there was a monster in the cave, he was convinced that the great hero of the Islands had sealed the monster behind that door with magic, and thus, they weren't able to open it. Once, the prospect of a solid wall was all that stood behidn the door had crossed their minds, but they immediately dismissed it, who would go through the effort of putting a door on a stone wall? Especially one so finely made? There were much better uses for such a door.

_/You can trust me Sora/_

Sora spun all the way around, looking out his window. The wind? A breeze passed Sora's face, he felt it ruffle his clothes, comb through his hair gently, but no air caressed his skin. Instead, a voice whispered in his ear, _/Nothing here will hurt you. We NEED you. I can protect you./_

"W-who ARE you and what am I supposed to do?!"

Only another tangible breeze answered him, Sora shuddered and left the house rather quickly. 'My friends would never hurt me,' he thought to himself before hopping into his little boat and proceeding to the Island where Riku and Kairi would be waiting for him.

When he arrived, Sora stumbled out of his boat and stayed long enough to tie it securely, and then he was off running to the secret place only he, Riku, and Kairi knew about. Most thought it only a solid wall with vines draped across it. Sora and Riku had found it when they were wrestling and fell through the opening completely by accident. Lumbering through the opening, making sure he wasn't seen by anyone else, Sora heard Kairi complaining about something.

"It's a small miracle my father didn't see me! This stupid thing almost sunk my boat, it's too heavy." Kairi was dragging something across the floor of the small cave that opened up at the end of the short passageway. Riku snatched it up almost effortlessly and held it in his hand, looking at is skeptically.

"A sledge hammer?! That's ur idea?!" Sora's laughter was redoubled when he saw Kairi leap around and face him, her face a perfect picture of shock.

Riku faced him and shrugged, "Why not, nothing else's worked. Simple things usually work best, so I decided to think like you." Sora scowled, which turned out to be a pout, Riku shook his head and chuckled, he had to turn back to the door before someone caught the sparkle he knew was in his eyes. It was getting harder and harder to hide now, which meant soon he'd have to say something or else it'd eat him alive.

"Well, regardless, that thing is heavy so be careful." Kairi warned to Riku's back before turning to Sora, "He had me carry that thing all the way from my father's garage. Either way, I hope this works." She clutched the bottom of her shirt and twisted it nervously.

"Stand back guys." Riku swung the hammer at the door, letting out a grunt of exertion. Kairi gripped her shirt so tight, the bottom would be permanently stretched out. Sora was leaning against the far wall, eyes wide in anticipation.

The hammer struck the door, made a hideously loud noise, and bounced off, leaving no mark on the door whatsoever. Riku was almost thrown backwards by the momentum, he struggled to get ahold of himself and cursed silently, "There's not even a mark! What is wrong with this door?!" He sighed heavily and dropped the hammer to his side, still holding onto it.

Sora walked over and slowly ran his hand over the spot where the hammer impacted it, "Maybe it's made out of titanium. They can make anything look like wood now."

"Why would someone go through all that. Can you even GET titanium, let alone, make it into a door? And why put it here?" Kairi's face screwed up in thought about how ridiculous such a prospect would be.

"It was just a suggestion." Sora couldn't help but feel a little put out, it COULD happen!

Suddenly, something caught the corner of Sora's eye, he turned just in time to see a large chunk of metal flying at him. Pain exploded through his head when it collided with him and he fell to the ground, his last vision before falling into unconsciousness was someone standing over him, red eyes burning hatred into his soul. Everything went black.

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"Welcome back Sora. I had faith that you'd return."

Sora blinked and rubbed his head, "Wha-what happened?" Beneath him, white sand glittered dully in the bright yellow sunlight. Wait, yellow? Sora looked up, color had returned to the sky, a bright vibrant blue with a glittering sun.

"It's your doing Sora, you've done wonders for this world." Sora looked up and saw that same mysterious man with the glistening emerald green eyes.

"What? I didn't do anything." He stood up, still rubbing his head, for some reason, he thought it should hurt.

"You've opened to the light, just as I knew you would. Your presence is banishing the darkness that once fed upon this world." Suddenly, the man was before him, holding Sora in a gentle embrace, which he found himself returning. This person was warm and inviting, Sora found himself never wanting to leave. "But, but how did I get here?" His voice belied his desire to keep silent and enjoy the moment.

The man sighed and pulled Sora away, holding him at arm's length, looking sadly upon the boy. "I tried to warn you Sora, your friends wish only to harm you. They have sunk their hearts into darkness and now wish to obliterate you for your own pure heart. They hurt you Sora, try and remember what happened."

Sora closed his eyes and tried to think. He remembered something flying toward him, pain in his head, and those red eyes..."It couldn't have been them, they're my friends!"

"Who else could it have been? You three were the only ones in that cave, and certainly you wouldn't have hurt yourself."

Sora stepped away shaking his head, trying to push away all this cloudiness and confusion plaguing his mind. He looked up at the sky, not a cloud passing.

"Please trust me." The man stepped toward Sora, his arm outstretched, almost begging for him to take it. Sora turned toward him and watched the man's glistening white hair catch a breeze and billow easily behind him.

Sora looked at it, then the man, "I don't know if I can. I don't even know your name!"

"You wish my name, then you shall recieve it. Traid is the name given me." The name entranced him, Sora reached out his hand, ready to take that of Traid when suddenly, the world flickered out.

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Sora woke up and looked around quickly, paying little heed of his two friends voicing their concerns about his sudden bout of unconsciousness. Sora jumped to his feet and examined his surroundings, finding himself back within the walls of the secret cave. "Wh-what happened? Where am I?"

"Sora, you're here, on the Islands, with Riku and I." Tears had left stains on Kairi's face, and she did little to cover the concern.

"You passed out cold for no reason at all. We were going to take you home but we were afraid to move you." Riku also did nothing to wipe the intense worry off of his face.

Sora looked at them, his mouth hanging open trying to process what they'd said. He knew something had hit him, it was a wonder he was still alive! His gaze traveled slowly over to the sledge hammer and something clicked. But it couldn't be true! 'My friends would never hurt me!' Suddely, Sora sprinted out of the cave.

"Sora, where are you goin?!" Kairi's worried call stopped him at the mouth of the cave.

"I-I've gotta think about something..." With that, he took off again.

_/They're lying and you know it Sora./_

Traid, how could he so suddenly trust that man. But, what else could have happened? Sora didn't stop running until well after sunset.

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**A/N: Well, there's the second installment. Wow, two chapters in two nights, I don't think I've done that before. . . Special thanks to diamondprincess2006 for such a speedy review. Tankies muchly, glad u like it! Well, it's time for me to retire for the moment. TTFN!!!**

**Also, if anyone out there would has nuthin to do, would anyone like to be my beta reader for this fanfic? Help would be much appreciated. If interested, my email's in my profile.** .

**PS: Oh, just in case u were wondering, pronounciation of Traid is _Ter-eye-id_**


	3. Grey Fading to Black

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

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**CHAPTER 3:**

Sora lay on the cool sandy earth beneath him and looked toward the sky wistfully. He's stopped running quite a while ago when he realized he'd almost circled the island, no sense in going back to them when he'd run from them in the first place. He sighed dejectedly, burrowing further into the sand. Really, it made quite a nice bed, forming a glove to ur body once you wriggled down enough into it. (I've actually done that, it's REALLY comfortable!!!) "I don't get what's going on, why won't Traid tell me anything," Sora's cheeks colored at remembering that warm embrace and his rapid acceptance of it. "And why exactly do I trust him?"

"Trust who?"

Sora spun quickly, sitting up int he process, "Kairi!" He sounded relieved, if not somewhat guarded. He had his reasons why he did not really want Riku here. 'Right, moonlight, beach, stars, I'd loose myself like a freakin' girl, THEN he'd hate me.' Rather than voice his thoughts, Sora turned to Kairi somewhat worried, "What're you doing here? D-does anyone know you're here?"

Kairi sat roughly down on the ground beside Sora. It wasn't until then that Sora noticed she was panting, he was sure that her face was flushed, but in this darkness, he couldn't tell. A few moments passed in silence as Kairi regained her breath, "We've been looking for you. You ran off so fast we were worried. Why'd you go out if you were sick?" She looked at him reprovingly, like his own mother.

"Sick, what're you talking about Kairi, I feel fine." He put a hand to his head and indeed, it felt warm. He turned to her with his blue eyes glistening with question, "What hit me? Riku, he swung that hammer at me."

"Hit you, what do you mean? Riku'd never do that, he likes you too much Sora, you're his BEST friend!" She barely finished speaking before Sora jumped in.

"I didn't pass out! Something hit me, I felt it! Traid said one of you did it and Riku was the one with the hammer." He couldn't believe he'd actually said that, accused Riku, Riku WAS his best friend. Sora thought more of Riku than to accuse him of this but, he'd seen it with his own eyes.

"Traid? Who's that? Sora, what's going on, you've been acting so wierd and not telling me anything! Riku told me you've been having weird dreams but-"

"They're not dreams!" Sora recoiled just as much as Kairi did. He didn't mean to snap like that, he just seemed so angry all of a sudden, but he couldn't help it, there was something weird going on here. He was beginning to worry about Traid and his world, what if he couldn't save it? How was he supposed to go about that anyway? But, apparently, he'd been doing something, the world was certainly getting better, but how, he didn't know.

"Sora? You're doing it again. What are you thinking about?" Kairi rested her hands on his shoulders gently. She was beyond completely worried for the boy.

"I'm just . . . thinking about something-"

"About what, please tell me Sora, I'm supposed to be your friend." Kairi ceased talking when she felt Sora tense beneath her hands. "S-Sora?"

Sora couldn't breathe, something was chocking him, cold hands on his neck. He clawed at them but they did not even flinch, black specs danced before his eyes, his body began to go slack. Suddenly, the icy hands removed themselves and Kairi's voice cut through his mind, "Sora! What's wrong?!" She was frantic it seemed. As soon as he felt his strength return to him, Sora jumped from her grasp, wide-eyed and searching around for the culprit. His eyes fell on Kairi and his jaw went slack, her eyes glistened red and she waved seductively. He blinked again and she was biting her nails nervously, she reached a hand out to him but he took a few steps backward, horror etched across his face.

"Y-you! You chocked me, Kairi what's wrong with you?!"

_/Come to me Sora/_

"Sora! I'd never!" Kairi took a step toward him again but got no further. Sora leapt into the water and swam off as fast as his limbs would push him. Kairi stood there shellshocked, how could Sora even think something like that? Kairi turned on her heels and ran back in the direction she had come calling for Riku. They had to figure out what was wrong with Sora. It was much more than a sickness

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"Traid? Traid!" Sora stumbled through the surf looking up to the sky, tears pouring down his face. "I know you can hear me and I know you can talk back." This outburst only seemed to upset Sora more, 'I must seem like a fool, talking to myself.'

_/You're not talking to yourself dear Sora. I can hear every word. You must see my world, it grows more beautiful all the time./_

"But what am I doing? How am I helping? And what's going on here, why is this happening all of a sudden. Neither Kairi nor Riku had ever THOUGHT of hurting me until you started coming." Sora had expected him to stutter, most enemies did when their secret plots were discovered.

Instead, the voice chuckled, _/Sora Sora Sora. They resent you for your light. You've come of age where your true power is manifesting itself. You're 'friends' have steeped themselves in darkness and they seek to make all darkness. Your light is powerful and they wish to extinguish that most of all./_

"I-I need help. I want to help your world." He needed to help Traig's world, he needed to be with Traid. Sora could still feel that warm embrace. Smell that odd scent that clung to Traid, feel the incredible soft silkiness of his clothing . . .

Another bout of chuckling from Traid's voice pulled Sora from his thoughts, _/You are not yet ready to give yourself to this world. But until then, keep your heart in the light and be confident that I will protect you./_

Sora barked a short laugh, "A fine job of that you've been doing! I could've died!"

_/But you didn't did you?/_

"Uh n-no, I didn't. I suppose I have you to thank for that?"

_/Thank anyone you wish Sora./_

"But how is it that I can only see you in my dreams? Why aren't you here?" Sora's curiosity seemed to have gotten the best of him and he found himself unable to quell it once it was let loose, "If your world, YOU, are in my dreams, how can they possibly be real?"

_/You are very real in your dream are you not? And besides, my world is not a dream, but a real place. Another dimension as you would call it, or perhaps another world altogether./_

"I want to see the world, and how it's doing since I'm . . . helping it."

_/How demanding you are my Sora./_ The way he'd said that sent shivers down Sora's spine. His voice went on with a decidedly happier, _/Lay your head to rest and you shall see your progress./_

Sora did as he was told and it didn't take long for him to slip off into dream land despite the icy chill on the air.

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Sora was laying on crisp yellow sand, basking in the gloriously warm glow of the sun. The azure sky streched infinately over his head, lazy cotton-puff clouds glided across the endless sky in no particular direction. Sora was completely at peace. 'I wish Riku could see this.'

"You must put him from your mind little Sora."

"Hey," he opened one of his eyes and looked up at the tall boy standing over him. Traid no longer wore his cloak, but his white hair fell around him as if it were one, "I'm not little."

Traid chuckled, "You are indeed a powerful young man." Looking behind him suddenly, Traid sighed sadly, "If only the rest of this world were as beautiful."

"It will be, I won't rest until it is." Sora sat up and looked at the ocean, a strange site indeed. Swirls of white and grey blended with spots of clear aqua, "I just hope I won't be too late."

"You won't be." Sora blushed pink when Traid pulled the auburn haired boy against him, but, Sora couldn't find it in himself to fight it. Just as Sora began to relax, Traid rested his head on Sora's shoulder and spoke softly in his ear, "I believe in you."

Sora crained his neck around to look into those glistening emerald eyes, they enchanted him. No jewel could outshine them and not hardship could turn them cold. They were warm and inviting and Sora felt as if he'd been let in on a large secret trusted to him only. Rather suddenly, at least in Sora's mind, soft lips brushed his for but a second. It could have been eternity encased in the tick of a second or a drop of a sand grain, but then it ended too soon. "Trai-"

"Sshh. You must return. Face the darkness Sora, it will only make you stronger. Do not give in to their deceptions, I will be with you."

The world around Sora shimmered and faded, but that feeling still remained.

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**A/N: Wow, yet another chapter, yet another night. And all done before 12 midnight. . Um, I'm sorry this one was probably a little bit boring in the beginning, but at least it's taking the direction I want it to! **

**Thankies muchly to Shar for the lovely compliment. Glad this story tickles ur fancy (light, has anyone used that expression in AGES?!)**

**BTW, anyone notice a pattern here? If not, I'm not givin' it away lol o.- Gah, I'm biting my nails for no reason at all so I guess I'd better go. TTFN!**


	4. The Distance I Can Run for You

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.; (notice, I'm not even bothering to change this.....)**_

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**CHAPTER 4:**

Sora yawned and gazed up at the overcast gloomy sky. The surf was too rough to swim in, a good rip tide would pull you under before you even realized you were under water. Sora'd been taken by one of those once. A storm was forcast to move onto the Islands by nightfall, but the day provided clear skies and only a slightly turbulent ocean. So Sora went swimming. He was having fun up until the time when a large wave crashed into the shore, tugging his feet out from underneath him and pulling him down into the ocean. For a short eternity until he tasted the sweet flavor of air. When his vision came back into focus, Riku hovered over him, Sora'd never seen Riku looked so pale and terrified in his life. After Riku made sure Sora was ok in every aspect of the word, Sora's ear nearly fell off with the lecture Riku gave him about swimming and storms and to never EVER worry Riku like that.

Sora let a smile grace his face, sometime after he'd woken up, his mind crashed back to reality with flashbacks like that, how could his friends hurt him like that, they'd helped Sora and he'd helped them, occasionally saving their lives. Of course, parents were never informed, they'd never be able to return to this island had their parents known all of the fool things they'd pulled. Sora now lay here, trying to figure out how to face them, he was sure their anger was blistering by now. He sighed, "No time like the present." He sat up, only to be forced back down on his back by his shoulders. He hit the ground so hard, a grunt of pain forced its way from his lungs.

"You're dan right!" Sora winced when Riku swore at him, that meant he was really upset. "What's going on with you?! Kairi told me all about what you accused her of doing? Let alone me?! How could you think I'd hurt you, let ALONE try and kill you?! Tell me Sora!"

Sora was gazing into Riku's aqua colored orbs, they glistened with hurt and anger. "R-Riku, I-"

"What Sora. And who's this Traid?" Riku bristled, the name tasted bad in his mouth and he'd be contented if he never had to say it again in his lifetime.

"He, well, he's the guy that needs my help. There's something about him, he's not much older that you-"

"And because of THIS you trust him more than me?" Riku was staring into Sora's eyes, searching for something. Sora struggled not to turn from that intense gaze, he would show Riku whatever he was looking for.

"No Riku I swear! Traid," he winced when Riku scoffed, "h-he told me someone was trying to hurt me." He didn't even try to move out from under Riku's hands, even though he felt like burying himself under the sand and never emerge.

Riku shook his head, "I'm trying to understand this Sora. Why didn't you tell us you thought someone was trying to hurt you? I wouldn't put it past him to be this Traid. Sora, you can't just trust him like that!"

"You don't understand Riku! His world's been almost destroyed by darkness and he said my light is the only thing that's saving it! He said you'd try to hurt me because you've given yourself to the darkness!" Sora's chest heaved, he didn't intend to say that much, but may as well, "and when, when the incidents happened, your eyes, the glowed (is it glowed or glew...?) red!"

Riku loosened his grip on Sora's shoulders in shock, allowing Sora to sit up, he did so nervously and faced Riku, "I don't know what happened, but it's almost like, I can completely trust him. I wish you could understand. There's no way I could like him more than you." It seemed like it was the millionth time his cheeks colored.

Riku suddenly snatched Sora into a warm embrace, "I'm worried about you Sora. I don't trust this Traid." It tasted like acid, that's what it tasted like, "Let HIM deal with his problems, he doesn't need to be hurting you."

Sora's eyes widened, "Riku I can't do that! How could you say that-" He was cut off by a gloved finger on his lips.

"I'm not hurting you and niether is Kairi!" Riku spouted that out with a little more animosity than he'd preferred, "If that guy," he'd given up trying to say his name, "tried to convince you otherwise, then he's out to hurt you."

Sora scowled, "You don't know him!" It was difficult yelling around a finger on your mouth.

"So I'm gonna get to know him." Riku stood up quickly and flashed Sora a smile, ceasing an protestations that were about to come from Sora's mouth. "And don't think about him!"

Something dropped on Sora's nose, he jumped slightly before looking at his nose, where the offending drop of liquid had fallen. Water, Sora looked to the sky in time to see more rain fall onto his face. Blinking away the drops that fell on his face, he stood up and ran in the direction of shelter.

------------

Riku ran toward the Secret Place, it was the only place he could think to start looking. He was convinced that that door had something to do with this. Sora said he was helping that guy's world, and what else could be behind that door. Thunder crashed and echoed boisterously in the small cave, lightning brightened the cave only slightly, but the candle he lit was all that was needed for light. Riku's eyes swept the cave, the drawings that he, Sora, and Kairi has scribbled all over the walls were gone. He quirked an eyebrow, rain didn't fall this far into the cave, and everything was dry besides. His gaze hit the door and he gasped, reeling backward. The door was creaked open ever so slightly. Riku stalked up to it slowly, careful to keep his footsteps silent. He peaked around the edge of the door, apparently it swung out, and looked at what lay behind it.

But before he could see anything, he was thrown against the wall, knocking the air from his lungs, completely winding him for a moment. "What the-" his eyes fluttered open halfway, then violently shot the rest of the way open. Before him, holding him up against the wall a few inches off the ground, was a transparent being, a ghost perhaps. The thing's muscle's on his arms quivered, and it's face was painted with that of anger. It's glistening white, waist-length hair floated lazily on the excess power flowing from the being, red eyes bore hate to Riku's soul. Fear knotted Riku's stomach until something dawned on him, "You're Traid." Once again, barely hidden distaste rolled along with that name off Riku's tounge.

"Hmph," the eyes faded to the glistening emerald that seemed to hold everything, "you don't trust anyone Riku. Perhaps it wasn't far from the truth, you have given yourself to the darkness?"

Riku quivered with rage, such an accusation, there was no doubt, this, this THING was trying to harm Sora, and whoever got in its way as a casualty. Those eyes, they glittered at him with warmth, like Traid was soothing a child! Riku was no child and was not going to sit by and let him manipulate Sora like this!

"You know, they considered you for the Bearer, but only for a short time. It seems they knew what you'd become, a blithering hypocrite!" Riku struggled, throwing his entire strength against Traid, this would end now, Riku'd find a way!

"Sora's innocent!" He seethed, the thing's nails dug into his skin, yet still he struggled, "what's he got to do with anything?! If you're so concerned about this darkness, kill ME now!"

Traid laughed, the sound almost intoxicating, if it were any other occasion, Riku would have been entranced, 'So that's how he manipulated Sora. But with that power, he could have done....anything.' Riku's eyes widened in horror of the prospect. "Sora took something from me, and he will know the torture of having it taken back!"

"Don't-even-think about-it" The nails dug deeper and pain seered through his shoulders, with the pressure put upon him against the wall, he could hardly breathe. Blackness danced across his vision, but he refused to give up just yet.

"You ARE the guardian aren't you?" Traid chuckled, "The Bearer's second opinion. For some, enough reason to keep you alive. But not for me." His eyes blistered red once more before wrapping the excess power around Riku's body and allowing it to tighten itself. Riku gasped, his body going limp. He HAD to focus his mind on something. If he could just find something to focus on, this thing would be off him. He jerked his head toward the door, 'Focus-on-the door.' His body was being crushed, if this didn't work he'd die, then he couldn't help Sora.

"Only one more thing, and with you gone, Sora will hand it to me quite willingly. His dearest friend lost his heart to darkness, all the more reason to fight for the light. Especially since his best friend LOVED him." This laugh from Traid was maniacal, nothing about it warm or inviting.

"Don't-mock-me!" Riku's words were hoarse and barely audible, but he wasn't concerned with that, the door, it was closing. Just a bit more.

A resounding click echoed through the cave and Traid's ghost was gone. Riku fell to the ground ungacefully. He tried to land on his feet, but they collapsed beneath him. It was just as well, he didn't feel like standing anyway. Massaging his throat and running his fingers delicately over the bleeding wounds where Traid's nail had dug deeper than a nail should have, Riku shuddered. He didn't know how he'd closed the door, but right now he didn't know much of anything. "I've gotta get to Sora." His voice was still hoarse and his body ached, he couldn't stand up and the storm still raged outside. 'I wouldn't last a minute.' Riku hated weakness, but it appeared that he'd no other choise but to wait this out, regain his strength. Traid was not finished with Sora and wouldn't kill him until he was done.

The thought hardly eased him, but at the moment, it was all Riku had to go on.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, so we got some Sora/Riku fluff goin on, but you were warned! Ha lol, ok, I'm done. Amazing how fast you come off of a sugar high when u've had no sugar recently huh? Fourth chapter, fourth night. Lol, I've never done something like this before. Weee! Bah, I'm tired and some ppl aren't updating their fics very fast. Baka school -bashes school in and goes to jail- 'tupid homework. Well, I think I'm to bed, tis late and my eyelids seem to know this. TTFN.**

**OH YES and I'm gonna do some role changing here as in kinda different from what happens in the game. Some things are gonna be a little different. If this confuses, or u just think I'm stupid cuz this is an AU and u don't get why I'm saying this, u'll get it later on, I promise but to explain further would spoil things.**

**And if you're a little confused as to why this is centered on Riku, well, you'll learn that later on too. Hey! I can keep my secrets!!......can't I?**


	5. Falling Back

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

**PRE S: Um, note the fact that I still don't have a beta reader so I'm sorry in advance about the errors and such....I'm really awful at proofreading, especially at night when I write these things.**

**Oh, and just in case the title might confuse, what it means is, (rhetorical questions) What lies between black and white....grey right? Well, usually black means darkness and white means light, so what's between light and darkness? It'll make more sense and I'll explain everything at the end. No spoiling! But remeber _All that is darkness is not evil and all that is light is not good._**

**ON W/THE STORY!!! -poofs-**

* * *

**CHAPTER 5:**

"This is getting me nowhere." Minutes has passed like hours and Riku was not able to stand without leaning heavily on a wall or tall rock. "He could be asleep for all I know, light knows," Riku yawned and sat roughly on the ground, "I want to." Shaking his head he stood, leaning on a rock he remembered had once had drawings to make it look like a man's head. A very odd man's head. (I loved that rock! .) Now it was bleak, like all of the walls. "Tryin to make us forget most likely."

"Riku? Who're you talking to?" Kairi wandered in looking around. She was soaked and looked completely shaken up. It wasn't until then that Riku noticed that the storm raged outside. "Sora's not here is he?" Her gaze finally settled on Riku and she gasped, practically leaping over to him, "What HAPPENED?"

Riku pushed her fussing hands off gruffly, but held onto her arm to pull himself up. She nearly toppled over, but held her ground and allowd him to lean on her. "We've got to find Sora. Traid," this time he actually spit on the ground, "really is going to hurt Sora, if not kill him!" Riku nearly fell over when Kairi stumbled. She'd made an interesting 'eep' sound and paled considerably.

"B-but why?!" The beginning of tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"I don't know Kairi." He was finally able to stand on his own, but not much else. "But he was talking about the Bearer, or something like that, and me being 'the Guardian'." He took a shaky step forward and sat on that huge rock. "Before you ask, I don't know what that means-"

"Something seems familiar about it. Don't you feel like you should know something?" Kairi put a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. She found it the only way to see if Riku was lying or not, she had gotten him to admit his deepest secret that way. Kairi wasn't a fool, she knew when people lied to her and she was not going to sit looking at her hands in her lap and accept it like some child.

"I don't feel anything familiar, but what I know is that we don't want to open that door." Riku screwed up in face, ready to say that name, but Kairi stopped him with her hands on her hips, annoyance clear on her face.

"Jeez Riku. Just say the name, it's not like his name is going to hurt someone! It's just a name for light's sake!" Her hands flew to her mouth and her eyes went wide, "W-what'd I just say?"

"I have no idea, what's with the 'for light's sake' never heard you use that before." Riku tried to laugh, but it seemed his ribs were bruised. That, or they just hurt, a lot.

"It seemed right at the time. Something's going on here."

"No kidding. Anyway,"

"Traid." Kairi said the name for him since he'd seemed to have trouble with it himself.

"Right, anyway, HIS world is on the other side of that door, I'm sure of it. Apparently, that's where Sora's been going in his dreams. I think he's trying to lure Sora there and do . . . something."

"We've gotta find Sora! Can you walk?"

Riku stood up carefully and stepped forward, ignoring the receeding pain in his chest, he was just getting used to it he was sure, "I should be fine, but it's still violent out there." Almost as if to prove his point, a crash of thunder echoed through the cave and Kairi gasped loudly, jumping clear of the rock to the other side of the cave. Riku tried not to chuckle at her, but Kairi glared at him anyway, knowing he wanted to.

Suddenly, a noise made the two freeze. The door at the end of the cavern was creaking, sliding open ever so slightly. Riku paled, his mouth hanging open. "No, we've got close it before-"

"Riku, Kairi? What're you doing here?"

-------------

"Sora." Traid glided over to the boy stretched out in the sand. The voice sounded to sweet and serene to the young brunet that he couldn't help the smile that found its way to his lips. Vaguely in the back of his mind, something told him to question Traid, something was going on somewhere else that he thought should concern him, but right now, those glistening emerald orbs held all of his attention.

"Sora, are you awake yet?" Traid's face hovered over his, blocking the bright sunlight. Really he couldn't be any older than Riku for all his appearance. 'Ri . . ku?' His mind turned over the name, but no recognition came. Glittering white hair fell down around him, almost like a tent. Sora smiled and twined a few strands around his fingers.

"I'm awake, I think." Sora yawned and closed his eyes contentedly.

Traid chuckled, "Sleepy head, you can't stay here forever, at least, not right now."

"Mm, why not?"

"Because my world is not safe." The older boy's face took on a look of disturbance while was echoed in his voice. He knelt beside Sora, turning his face away and running his fingers deftly through the sand making a kind of drawing. The pattern looked remarkably like a heart inside a giant keyhole.

Sora watched him for a minute, worry clouding his mind. There was SOMETHING he was supposed to remember, but whenever Traid was around-.

"Sora, I need your help again. I'm ashamed to ask."

Immediately Sora abandoned his thoughts and snatched the hand Traid was drawing in the sand with, "Don't be ashamed to ask me anything! You know I'll help, even if I don't know what I'm doing." Sora locked his gaze and held it with what he hoped was confidence and sincerity.

Traid chuckled, "You're right, I was foolish. I do have faith in you Sora, but I've put so much on you, I wish there was more I could do."

Suddenly, a memory danced across Sora's mind, jerking him from reality for a moment. Sparkling aqua eyes. Those eyes would have seemed lost on any normal person. But the person in Sora's memory was not normal, silken silver hair hung gracefully to his shoulders, Sora never knew how it had gotten so silver, he just knew it was that way for as long as he could remember. A well toned body, practicing, something. But he knew instantly this person had to be this Riku, but how could he forget someone like that? He almost measured up to the grace of Traid. But Traid had the grace of royalty, he could easily pass for a prince if not a king who had been so his whole life. This Riku had the grace of a warrior, well trained and hard as sandstone to break. (And let me tell you, you'd think something called sandstone would just fall apart, NOT!!! It's wicked hard to break open, my earth science teacher had to use a special machine just to get a small chunk off!)

"Sora?" When said boy came back to himself, Traid was holding his shoulders, staring at him worriedly.

"Sorry, ah, what did you say?" He shook his head in much the way a wet dog or cat would, which caused a light chuckle to pass Traid lips. Sora seemed carried away by that sound, so enchanting and light, like an easy spring breeze. Promising happier times ahead.

"I said, I need you to open the door." Traid's eyes suddenly turned determined, and Sora found himself physically unable to break his gaze. Instead, he could only stutter out his reply.

"W-what door?"

"You know, the door." Another memory danced across his mind, leaving a permanent impression. A door, a very nicely carved door that seemed part of the stone wall around it. The door was in a cave, a cave he and only few others new about. Riku was one of those few others, and Riku had warned him about something, something about-

"I need something from your world, and I can only obtain it by myself. But that door is all that keeps me from saving this world once and for all."

Sora nodded, the passion that lit the fire in Traid's eyes was intoxicating and contagious. Sora nodded with a renewed vigor, ready to leap to this task right now. His spirit practically cried at the call of duty. But instead, he found himself suddenly wrapped in a welcome embrace. Sora decided Traid smelled good, and he seemed to fit in that hug, like two puzzle pieces interlocking to finish a great puzzle. This was all he needed, but he couldn't stay forever. "I'll do it. You won't have to wait long." Traid nodded, pulling him away to arms' length. Tears sparkled in his green eyes and the site took Sora's breath away. Traid kissed him on the forehead gently and the world shimmered like diamond dust before fading.

-------------

Sora was up from his shelter spot and running through the storm before he even realized he was awake. How odd that he had not just gone home when it started to rain. It was just as well though, now he did not have to risk those angry waves trying to row back to this island. 'My parents must be worried sick, but they know me.' Just as quickly as it had come, he pushed the thought from his mind. He had a task to complete. No matter what Riku had said, he could not find himself distrusting Traid, the effects of his embrace were still vivid in his mind. He coudl still smell the boy! Now he just needed to open that door, then they'd see, Traid was a friend. Sora smiled a wide smile that wouldn't seem to go away.

There was one odd thing though. He could not imagine why he'd forgotten Riku in that dream. It seemed to happen when he got to Traid's world, though he just usually blamed it on the effects of the dream state he was in when he came to that world. But it was strange, he couldn't even remember Kairi at all. 'They're not turning themselves to the darkness. I think I know what happened, whoever is trying to destroy Traid's world is trying here too. Whoever it is must be taking the places of my friends. That must have fooled Traid, but it didn't work on me . . . well, only for a second.'

His thoughts cut off when he reached the mouth of the secret place. A gust of strong wind nearly took him off his feet, but he stood his ground and ducked in, not bothering to check if anyone had seen him. Who would be out in this weather. Unbeknownst to him, yellow eyes watched closely, but stood back, bidding (sp?) their time.

Sora glided down the twists and turns that was the first part of the secre place like he had since he and Riku had found it. When he entered the cave however, Riku and Kairi stood before him. Not expecting them, he nearly jumped out of his skin, but they were not looking at him, they were looking at the door, open only a crack. 'Good,' Sora thought, 'this might make it easier. At least I can just pull it open now.' But at the moment, he had to satisfy his curiosity. What were Riku and Kairi doing out in this weather, he knew Kairi was still frightened of thunderstorms, especially since that hurricane had hit last summer. And Riku looked as though he'd gotten in some sort of fight and lost; tears in his clothing, bruises on his face, neck, and arms, Sora guessed there'd be some on his chest and legs underneath his shirt and pants, and blood leaking from what looked like claw marks on his shoulders.

"Riku, Kairi, what're you doing here?" They turned to him suddenly, Riku's was a face of horror, 'Odd,' Sora thought, and Kairi looked utterly lost.

* * *

**A/N: Ha! dun dun duuuuuuuunnnnnnnn! The plot thickens, I think. Well, anyway, I really don't know if that explains anything, but it was necessary. I didn't realize how much so until I actually wrote it, but it explains a lot in my head. **

**-Hugglz her two reviewers so far- Only two, but that's ok cuz I know you like it!! How, you may ask, do I know? You may even say you hate it! But why are u still reading this if u hate it so well? Hmmm?**

**O, u like the little mind control thing Traid has on Sora, I do . I seriously hope I didn't just spoil things for someone.....well...author notes were never meant to be perfect, at least these weren't. BTW I hate using contractions in stories so I try not to whenever it's possible. Oh, and I don't swear either...so yeah...you'll find no swearing in my work unless I copy/paste something. And those are usually only lines I find that I like (yes I give credit, no I don't plagerize) or song lyrics. So that explains the astrisks (sp?) in the last chapter.**

**Did you know Sora actually does swear?! He doesn't seem like he would, but just read the manga, he calls the heartless a vewy bad name! O.O Bad Sora! Lol.**

**Um, these really are too long so I'm goin to bed now! TTFN!!!!**

**V c pretty button? PRESS pretty button!V LOL**


	6. Be With The Light and See the Truth

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

**NOTE: RATING WILL CHANGE IN NEXT CHAPTER!! (more below in author's notes)**

* * *

**CHAPTER 6:**

Doubt ensconced Riku's mind, it was all too convenient. He hated not trusting Sora, but despised what was happening more. "What are YOU doing here? You said you were going home." Riku stood, pain and stiffness no longer affecting him, he pushed the question in his mind aside for the moment though, he was going to stop this, he'd die before he saw Sora hurt. Shivers shook his body, he'd almost suffered that fate and the door was opened again, what would happen?

Sora stood rooted to his spot, and it seemed Kairi was capable of doing naught much else, for as Riku stood, he seemed the very deffinition of grace itself. There was something fluid about it that Sora had never noticed before. Riku was completely calm, as if nothing fazed him, and the look he was giving Sora could have been carved from stone, stubborn as he would take no other if's, and's or but's. Riku could stop the world from crumbling had it the idea.

/We've been bonded since birth/

Sora gave a start, it was his voice in his mind. Not as if he were talking to himself, but as if someone had been talking to him using his voice. 'I'm going mad!' But before he could anything to push any thoughts aside, memories passed behind his eyes, billions, it seemed, at a time, but one stood out prominently:

--

_The baby cooed, his sparkling sapphire eyes glistened in merriment at nothing, except perhaps, being alive. His tiny hands reached at the sun rays streaming down to shine on his face. The light did not hurt his eyes, but the dust dancing the sun did make him sneeze. He paused to look around when he heard laughter, of course, he couldn't know what it was at the time, but it sounded happy, so it made him happy. Suddenly, a spike of something brown was right in front of his face, he blinked at it and waited it for it to do something. It did nothing for a while until it started moving back and forth. Laughing, he grabbed the brown thing, it was soft, he liked it, and tugged at it. He felt something, it hurt a little bit, but he tugged at it again. It hurt more, but he laughed, some crazy game perhaps. Tug the thing before it could bite you, he always won, but the pain started to bother him so he stopped. _

_A noise startled him from his giddyness. Noises that sounded like he should recognize them came from strange people around him. He paid them little mind, going back to his game of trying to catch the sundust. It was not easy, but he loved it none-the-less._

_"He certainly is blessed in the light."_

_Suddenly, he was lifted into the air by a person that he decided he liked. She smelled good and he was comfortable around her. When others picked him up, he cried, they were not like her, they should all be like her. He watched his sun rays, he could no longer touch them, but it was ok, he was fine with it._

_"The sun struggles to shine on him all the time. Wherever he goes, it seems he's caught in a ray of sunshine."_

_Yep, another one, it was bright and happy, just like him. Dust floated from this one too, so he tried to catch those._

_"He will be great one day."_

_He decided he liked that person too, they had a nice voice. Her hair was pretty too, it glittered when the rays hit it. _

_"Sowa?"_

_His blue eyes traveled down to meet those of a startling aqua staring right back at him with wonderment. He gaped, quite confused for a moment, he knew that person, he liked that person, even more than he liked the lady holding him. His hair was like that other woman's, but he knew it was soft, like that thing he always lay in. And his eyes, they were like jewels he wanted to play with and look at forever._

_"That's right little Riku. You and he share a destiny."_

_The one named Riku stuck his thumb in his mouth, walked over, and crawled onto a chair. He continued to look at the baby._

_"I hope Kairi will be ok." _

_The lady holding him was upset, and thus, he became upset too. He pouted and clutch onto the thing covering her, burying his head in her shoulder._

_"She'll be fine, she's too pure not to be."_

--

"Ri--ku?" He said the name slowly. The flashback, it was so real, he had BEEN only but a few months old just a second ago. His gaze slid to Kairi, she was absolutely fine, so what was wrong with her then? Suddenly, a glistening aura sprouted from her, flowing softly and gracefully around her body. Translucent white shimmered in no particular pattern around her, outlining a heart around her chest. Had she always glowed like this? Yes, she had to, things were just getting so jumbled in his mind right now that he couldn't think straight.

"Sora, I've never lied to you. I've been right by your side for our entire lives! Whatever you do, don't open that door!" Riku said it calmly, but Sora found himself unable to move to that door. He saw the sense in Riku's words, Riku could always do that. He'd always offered his opinion, which always made Sora go back and think things through again. Riku spoke sense and you listened.

"Sora listen to him!" Kairi clasped her hands together, pleading to him with her eyes. They were so pure, so innocent. No matter what Kairi saw or heard, her heart always remained innocent. She'd never lie, this was important. Suddenly, she looked every bit of a princess.

/The key/

His voice again, but this time, he could not think himself mad, because it said something that stood at the edge of his memory.

"Don't worry guys, I-I won't."

/Holds the truth/

Light, what was his mind going on about! Light, that's what he had to focus on, the light. And why it was so important to keep that door closed. Traid . . . something about the boy. Traid had made him feel so good, but why had he thought of Riku? And why did it seem Traid wanted him to forget-

_/SORA!/_

Sora jumped, the loud shout in his mind was Traid's voice, and it did not stop to allow him to recover.

_/You must hurry! Time runs thin and this world grows darker!/_

''I-I thought I was helping it." He sounded so weak and helpless. He took a step forward, looking past a stoic Riku and concerned Kairi to that door.

Red flashed before his eyes so quickly, it may as well have never happened. Sora shook his head and tried to grasp what he'd been thinking beforehand, but drew several blanks. The door, it stood before him, it needed to be opened, and soon.

---

Riku's stone-like calm dissolved quickly when he heard Sora speak. It made no sense, unless he was talking to-. Riku was ready to throw himself in front of Sora, shake him until the boy's brain rattled and berate into him that Traid could NOT be trusted, Traid was trying to HURT him! Kairi's terrified gasp stopped his actions before he'd even taken a step forward. He'd missed something, but Kairi's stutters filled him in.

"H-his eyes! They were red!"

Sora's hand suddenly shot out before him, Riku felt something, an awful presence creeping up behind him, and a sudden blast of ice-cold air spun him around. The door was wide open. He could do nothing, Riku found himself paralyzed.

---

The shadows outside moved, the glowing eyes widening then shrinking back to their normal size. It was time. The slithered, becoming one with the ground as they moved (gasp sry to interrupt, but I LOVED being that heartless!! It was so cool, I scared a few ppl around me I was freaking out so much. It was just so COOL! Ok, sry...) Into the cave, back to the world they knew. No one was their master now.

---

Kairi screamed and pressed herself against a wall in the cave. This was all happening way to fast, but she remembered. The white monster, she thought it resembled a deformed horse with four red eyes, had stepped through the threshold from a world that seemed blanketed in darkness. Nothing was moving beyond it, but Kairi knew there was something through that veil.

Before Riku could even recover from the shock, Kairi watched him be picked up by an invisible force and thrown against the opposite wall. She cried out, her voice turning to sobs when she saw him fall to the ground like a broken doll. "Pathetic," was what she heard the monster say, but in a voice as smooth as honey, and just as sticky. Sora was not doing anything, why was he standing there, looking outside the cave? Suddenly, she saw what he saw, creatures, blacker than the night itself, filling the mouth of the cave, clogging the tunnel, advancing upon them.

And then the monster turned on her, it's snarling bringing her attention back to it. Terror froze her into place and she knew what was to happen. One enormous arm came down upon her. Pain, searing pain, tearing her to pieces, shredding her soul, and then it was black.

---

Sora watched Kairi fall, tears already flowing from his eyes and seeing Riku's crumpled form. He wanted to run to them, hold them, apologize. But the creatures kept their yellow eyes on him and kept moving toward him. He had no way out of this nightmare. By the Light that he supposed blessed him, he wished he could wake from this. None of this was possible! Not when just a while ago they, all three of them, had been swimming in the ocean without a care, except if their lunch had gotten some sand in it.

That monster, Traid. Why had this happened? He still did not understand, Traid could do this, and somehow he knew the white haired boy would, and Sora could still look into his eyes and see warmth, acceptance, and . . . love?

The monster began to change form now before Sora's eyes. He became human, two glistening emerald eyes, cold, yet caressing at the same time. His white hair flowed around his ankles like visible air. He smiled and Sora's knees went weak. "I'm taking what was mine. Your guardian's dead and the princess has lost her heart. There is no hope." Traid raised his hand, Sora was still transfixed, his mind melted, that voice was enchanting. Even as he recoiled in pain as Traid plunged his hand into Sora's chest, Sora could not move his gaze.

It went black, despair, hopelessness, loss, sadness, frustration, and anger were let go of, and Sora floated.

* * *

**A/N: Wow, that was....different. So many POV's...don't usually do that but it was kinda necessary. Um, sorry I didn't keep this up this weekend, but it wasn't the best weekend of my life. I'm slowly going insane, an agonizing process, but character building if u don't let it get to you too much. **

**Anyway, I'M CHANGING THE RATING NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!! You all really need to see that. It gets graphic and I'm going to be safe. I warn u, don't go on if u have a weak stomach and don't like reading sorta torture stuff.**

**Ummmm.........let's see. There must have been billions of question raised with this chapter, but it'll all get explained soon I promise!!! Don't agonize, this should be done within two or three chapters, I promise! And I'll try and continue working on it every night, unless something bad happens, I promise!**

**I'M SO GLAD U LOVE THIS SHAR!!!**

**Little lavendar button loves getting pushed! (o.-) **

**TTFN!!!**

**PS: oh yeah, wasn't that baby scene so cute! That was Sora btw, and those weren't exactly his thoughts, unless babies really do think that intricately. I tried to keep things simple but they were just common observations that baby Sora noticed. It'll have significance.**


	7. To Bring Light Into the Darkness

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.; (notice, I'm not even bothering to change this.....)**_

**_WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE A LIGHT STOMACH!! Some scenes in this fic are pretty graphic, I don't want to discourage reading, but if you will read, it is your own risk. Flames about this will not be tolerated. There is a reason this is 'R' now._**

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**CHAPTER 7:**

He came awake little by little, and it took him a moment to realize that he just did not want to wake up. The cold was nagging though, it pricked his skin, causing goosebumps to rise. The cold stung him, like frozen needles were stabbed into dozens of places on his legs, he stretched, and it only made it worse, those stabbing pains turned to burning pains covering the length of his legs. His whole body was sore, muscles ached at the slightest movement and bruises coated his body, at least, that is what it felt like. He cracked open his eyes only to snap them shut a moment later. Light, brighter than any sun he'd known, blistered his retinas, making it almost impossible to stand even the site of his eyes closed.

Sometime later, he slowly cracked his eyes open once again, the light did not seem too bright this time, but it still burned his eyes and made the headache he soon found out he had throb much more. His shoulders and arms needed to move badly, so he made an effort to spread his arms to his sides, but found that they were bound, above his head of all things. It made for a very uncomfortable position, seeing as how all the scratches on his body seemed to stretch and hurt all the more. On top of that, it was cold, abnormally so in fact. When his vision came back into focus, he saw grainy sand, speckled every now and then with some dark stone, fade gracefully into a glittering ocean. Swinging his head around him, he found the same view to both sides, sand, ocean, then horizon, as if that's all that existed.

Sora hung from the branch by his wrists, completely exposed to the elements, but it did not seem to fase him as much as the fact that his body ached and stung, every inch of it. He groaned and glared at his toes, to tired to think. 'Just some rest first, then I'll-'

"Despicable. Get back you heathens!" Sora's head snapped up suddenly, his face colored an intense red for his current lack of clothing. At least now he knew why it was cold, but that was hardly a consolation, especially when those emerald green eyes caught his with a smirk. The man growled suddenly when one of those shadow monsters leapt up in the air, Sora winced when it appeared the thing was about to latch onto his foot, but Traid's foot connected with the monster and sent it flying in a different direction.

"Tr-Traid, what's going on?" Sora's shoulder blades itched and he wanted desperately to cover himself up.

"I have waited, waited for you to come of age. Years I've been patient, holding only on to the prospect of finally recovering what is MINE!"

Sora screamed out, his head may as well have exploded for the pain that burst within it. He recoiled, actually bringing his knees up to his face. Pain induced tears spilled from his eyes and confusion fogging his mind, "What are you . . . talking about?" His legs dropped when the pain suddenly lessened.

/Your light is the key/

'The key to what?' Sora pushed his thought to answer that voice. Just because Traid was there, did not make any easier to think about anything.

/The key is in your heart/

"The key is mine, the birthrite of my family! My father sat upon the Silver Heart Throne before your father's father was even considered!"

/Keybl-/

"I've never heard of the Silver Heart Throne and this key! I trusted you!" Anger flared in Sora's eyes. He struggled against his bonds only to have blood spring forth as the ropes he was tied with bit into his worn-down skin. Riku was right, this man was trying to hurt him despite all Sora had done to try and help him.

/Keybl-/

"I don't suppose you would've heard of it. Your insufferable ignorance has tried my patience, but thank the light that I have persevered."

"You've lied to me this whole time just so you can get revenge!" Sora scowled, he felt incredibly stupid, just to fall into something like this. He felt on the verge of something, but it just would not break, "Malice doesn't suit you Traid."

/Keybla-/

"Not revenge dear Sora," honey dripped from his voice and Sora found himself trying desperately to resist the boy's charms once again, "you will know the suffering I had when the Keyblade was torn from my heart."

/KEYBLADE/

Sora blinked, his body going tense for a moment as events crashed down upon his mind like waves unforgiving upon the sand. All pain was momentarily forgotten as he was lost in the endless churning of knowledge, realization, and remberance. "Th-the keyblade?"

Nails dug deeply into Sora's ankle to the bone and he yelped loudly, more tears springing from his eyes, "The keyblade burrows itself into your heart until you come of age where your power won't kill you! It was mine Sora, I was ascending the throne my family had sat upon since time began, coronation was just beginning and the light in the world could not be stronger! All was as it should be at the time. And then, a baby was born, far from the palace, and suddenly, my world crumbled, everything fell from beneath me. My soul was torn from my body, I could feel them tearing the Keyblade from my heart. My own family abandoned me to follow this new Bearer blindly. The suffering I had endured, the impossible pain of having my heart torn from my body was only consoled with this one statement, 'The light shines upon this child and blesses him.' They simply told me to be relieved that the worlds cannot fall into shadow. They took it from me, made me suffer, then banished me to this forsaken bleak world to live until I died! YOU were that child Sora, you were the one to steal the key from me, and you will know the suffering it caused me. I will have the Keyblade back along with the honor of my family!" Traid released his grip on Sora's ankle, which probably hurt more than the actual grip did. Blood dripped from Sora's ankles and Traid's nails. He grinned, it was a sickly expression that made Sora want to empty his stomach. He was scared, with ample reason to be, but he was also frightened for his friends, he could not see either Riku or Kairi, he had to know they were both alright.

/You've been bonded since birth. Feel him, to not seek with your eyes./

"I once had the Princess of Heart, but, unfortunately, she slipped through my grasp. Not this time though, her heart brought me true life and your blood will bring true life to this world, and the Keyblade to its true master." Traid clutched his hands into fists, still holding Sora's eyes with that sickly smirk. Only, when Traid released the fists, his nails had grown longer and sharper. Raising his hand up, Sora was suddenly eye level with Traid, yet still bound by that same rope onto that same tree. Now that Sora took the time to look at him, Traid was not as pale as he had been, he had more life, his clothes had a deffinite vibrance to them, and his hair was streaked with slightly darker highlights, given it a deffinite radience. He was more beautiful than he'd ever been.

"This world was not created in darkness," Sora searched his heart, hoping this would be the way to find Riku, "it's the darkness in your heart that destroyed it!" A spark of life felt within his heart brought waves of relief to Sora, Riku was alive! He couldn't know about Kairi, she had had her heart stolen by this monster. "No wonder the Keyblade has abandoned you!" At one time Sora would have thought himself talking a fool's language, but everything made sense to him right now. They Keyblade, he was the Bearer, sworn to bring light into the darkness, Riku was his Guardian, sworn to protect the Bearer and the Light in any way possible, and Kairi was the Princess of Heart, her duty to keep the Light glowing brilliantly.

Before Sora could blink, Traid's arms were raised, his nails dug into either side of Sora's chest and Sora winced, trying to pull away. A strong wall of air kept him from moving backward or to either side. Slowly and agonizingly, Traid raked his hands diagonally down Sora's chest. Blood sprang from the wounds and began slowly running down his body, only causing the wounds to burn more. Sora screamed, a death keel, and suddenly the shadow creatures, heartless, were on their feet, eyeing the agonizing boy eagerly.

"I will destroy your body, mind, and spirit. You will suffer as I did Bearer!" Traid shouted above Sora's cries. Tears poured from his eyes as quickly as the blood did from his wounds. When Traid reached his hips, he pulled his hands away and shook Sora's blood from his hands. He stepped away and eyes Sora's body, the boy was trembling, sobs wracking his broken body. Traid was confident now that one, if not both of Sora's shoulders were dislocated. "You see now, you can't even fathom my suffering. Infinite times greater than this! You are weak and decrepid, unworthy of the Keyblade!"

Sora cracked his eyes open, somehow able to see through the blinding pain that seemed to be his life now, "T-the shadows . . ." They crowded around Traid and eyed Sora, as if waiting for permission

Traid chuckled, once again holding Sora's gaze, not surprised it held not hate toward him, "Of course, the Bearer cannot grasp a feeling such as hate." He chuckled again, "The true bearer controls the heartless. Keeps them tame in their search to seek a heart and to banish the light from the world. I control them Sora and they seek your heart. Only, I must have it for this world, for with your blood spilled, this world recovers."

"You have forsaken the Keyblade, abandoned your light for your foolish pride. Not even with my death will the Keyblade come to you!" Sora managed to croak out. His voice was now hoarse, and pain was becoming such a constant, it seemed to fade into a normalcy, until Sora realized it was actually fading.

Traid snarled, Sora's body seemed to glow with its own radiance. Sun broke through thick, roiling clouds in a single ray, aimed directly at Sora's body. Sora felt alive, more energized than he had ever felt in his life, the bonds on his wrist loosed suddenly and he fell to the ground, kneeling the bright light. His head faced the ground and Traid took this opportunity to smirk, "You give up, finally you se-"

He was so suddenly cut off when Sora's eyes caught his gaze, like endless skies themselves, they bore down on Traid. Glistening sapphires stared, not coldly, but filled with anger, distrust, a hint of disgust, and a strong sense of justice. Traid took a few steps back, not caring that he trod on a few of the heartless's toes, he snarled again and balled his hands into fists. "You are prepared to die then?"

Sora stood, disregarding the dizzying feeling of the loss of too much blood and faced Traid with determination hardening is features. Stretching his hand out, light exploded in front of him shimmering for a moment, before solidifying into a giant key, the length of his entire arm. Made of a special metal that couldn't be broken, the blade was silver, reflecting anything it could see, and the hilt was a golden color, shining like the metal itself, but much stronger. He was also suddenly garbed in a white silken tunic, secured around his waist by a gold spund rope-belt. His pants were much similar, held up by a tie around the middle of his shins so as not to be tripped over. "You lied to me, I trusted you when I should have trusted my friends." Sora's voice was flat, spoken with no self pity, simply a statement of face, "But you are the fool to delude yourself. Your time has passed Traid Sakae(1).

Traid spat, one of the shadows recoiled from that spot. With one last fleeting glance at the menacing blade before them, all of the shadows seemed to melt into the ground, disappearing. Traid's anger flared to his eyes before he chuckled, "Once they sought to take your heart, now they run from it." His smirk touched his eyes wickedly, Sora found it hard to believe that he once thought those eyes could not hold any hatred, malice, or coldness. "You Guardian almost gave himself to the darkness, I honestly did not think he'd last. He submerged himself in it, gave to it willingly, but was pulled away by something, you I'd imagine. You know he loves you, perhaps for just that reason."

"That is Riku's business, you'd do best not to delve into something you haven't a clue about. You come out looking like a fool." But Sora remembered that time. He thought he'd lost Riku, the older boy had been penned up within himself, not talking to anyone, only drawing more and more onto depression Sora thought would kill him. At the time, Sora did the only thing he thought he could do, he offered himself to Riku, to take all the pent up emotion out on. Just when Sora thought Riku would strike him, or worse, he found Riku clinging to him like shelter from a raging storm. It was then that they'd felt a deeper connection that humanly possible. "We've been bound since birth, the Guardian to the Bearer." A genuine smile graced Sora's battered features.

"Enjoy this knowlege now dear Sora, for you'll be sharing it with Oblivion soon!" Power tingled at Traid's finger, ready to be used.

------

Riku sat up breathing heavily, in a haze it seemed. Nothing was clear, colors blended together to form one huge blob-like scene before him. Pain lanced his head, but was not in contention with pain he felt throughout his body. It was not his own, he could tell that, it was distant, but it was still present, and very painful.

Focus came after a short while of calming himself and concentrating. A few feet away, he could see Kairi, her body limp and that strange aura fading slowly. He stood up, wobbled a bit, then made his way over to her. Riku shook her a few times but got no response, in desperation, he looked for something to help, but rather than find anything, his gaze settled on that door. It was open, and swirling darkness was all he could see beyond it.

He did not care though, one thought presided in his mind, "Sora" was all his mind needed to tell him before he resolved that he needed to be through that door.

Gingerly, he picked Kairi up, very conscious that no marks were on his body except those on his shoulders where Traid had held him none-too-gently, but his body stung and burned like someone had decided to carve him up.

With the last thought that he HAD to get to Sora, Riku stumbled through the doorway.

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**A/N: PHEW!!! That was...a lot longer. So this only has a few more chapters I think. I'm so happy w/the way this came out, but I warned not to read with a weak stomach, it's not pretty. Poor Sora, that HAD to hurt. I couldn't even imagine that kind of pain, it hurt writing this!!! **

**I hope this answered question, I seriously tried to make it. However, I have devised a smart plan. If ANYONE has ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL with this fic. SUBMIT THEM AND I WILL HAVE THEM ANSWERED in a separate chapter. I'd consider that part of the story because that's what you're asking about, the story.**

**From now on this will be 'R' because it's still got a few more graphic scenes, though not as bad I think.**

**I hope you like this fic, feedback feeds the stories!!!**

**TTFN**


	8. Taking Action

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

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**CHAPTER 8:**

The next thing he knew, Riku was on sand, a beach that seemed to stretch on forever in every direction. Kairi lay next to him, still completely unconscious, something had happened to her, but she was still very much alive. Everything in this new world seemed still, but Riku could feel the air around him thicken and tremble, something was happening, and the sudden transition of passing through that portal had disrupted his senses for a moment, making it temporarily impossible to see or hear anything.

Riku had no time to marvel, however, at how fast his senses came back when a screech of pain, 'Sora!' His mind screamed before he had a chance to. Within seconds, Riku was up, following the sound without really seeing where he was going.

-----

Sora seethed, he had not meant to scream out like that, but it hurt, that blade Traid had burned when it cut, due to the blue/white fire that ran up it. The flames licked that blade hungrilly, but neither the blade nor hilt were scarred, melted, or singed in any way. Traid had even touched it, and no burns marred his smooth skin. Sora remembered how silken and soft that skin was, and it was memories like that that took more effort to push away when he was trying to bury himself in concentration. He knew Traid was still trying to control him, the honeyed voice, smiling green eyes, and grace that seemed he were made of water, flowing gently from one move to the next

Sora himself was not completely lacking in graceful maneuvers, dodging and twirling out of the way of that fire-shrouded blade, like it was some sort of dance, they Keyblade an extension of his arm. The one thing separating him and Traid was that Traid fought with the intent to kill, the man had nothing to lose from his point of view. Sora could not bring himself to kill this man, no matter what lies and manipulations Traid had tried on him, it simply was not right to take another's life.

Sora had allowed him a moment to marvel at the blade when Traid pulled it out of its scabbard that seemed to materialize at his waist. The sword really was fantastic, even the crosshilt was made from metal, but Traid assured him it was cool to the touch, at least to him it was. Sora doubted that to him, it would be cool, probably hotter than the flame itself, and Sora knew just how hot that flame was. His left arm hung limply at his side, seared and burning, but Sora had pushed it from his mind. The only reason he was still holding the Keyblade was because he had seen the move coming and had a chance to spin away from it. (Sora's right handed, at least, in the game he was...I play that WAY too much.)

Almost before Sora had a chance to prepare himself, Traid charged him, his lips pulled back into sneer, intent upon his victim. Sora wasn't quite prepared for this, in all his duels with Riku, they'd always held back, for fear of truly wounding the other, a simple friendly combat, but here, Sora realized, was not the time for holding anything back.

/Bring light to the darkness./

'I won't kill him!' His right arm ached, Traid's blade crashed against his own with shattering force. Sora had almost tumbled backward from the force of the impact. But he planted his feet, stood his ground, and held his own against the crushing force that was the white haired boy before him.

"I didn't realize the light of all worlds is so weak," Traid laughed callously at Sora's determined scowl, "and how much do you really think you are capable of with only one arm." He seemed to be holding his blade right where it was with one arm and minimal effort Only the sweat on his face betrayed the actual effort it took him to face Sora. "If the Bearer is so incapable, perhaps the Keyblade really does need another master."

"Concentrate on fighting me, not rambling." Sora smirked, and suddenly dropped from Traid's field of vision. Sora had thrown himself so suddenly on the ground before the momentum of pressure Traid had placed on his blade could take his head, or any other part of his body for that matter. Swinging his legs around, Sora tripped Traid and leapt quickly and nimbly to his feet before the other had hit the ground. Holding the Keyblade pointed at Traid's heart, Sora allowed no smirk or smile of triumph to cross his face, "Surrender now before someone gets hurt."

Traid's only response was to snarl and stretch his hand out, palm facing Sora. Shock passed so quickly across Sora's face before he made an effort to throw himself to the side, but not fast enough. A current of searing hot air slammed into him, smoldering his clothes and burning flesh, Sora was thrown feet from Traid. He tumbled twice before coming to a hault, lying on his stomach, the Keyblade just out of arms' reach. Sora coughed up a small stream of blood and wiped his mouth weakly. He made a small effort to lift his body, which was crushed just as he had with Traid's booted foot coming down on his back, pressing him into the gritty sand. Sora grunted and tried in vain to move from under his position. He could feel the heat from that fire on his neck, singing the hair that stood on their ends.

"The proper position for one such as yourself. You are not of the royal blood and do not deserve to polish the Silver Heart Throne much less sit upon it." Traid smirked and picked up the Keyblade upon seeing Sora feebly try to reach for it. "The true master is now in control."

Sora was not exactly sure of what happened next, but he heard Traid gasp and curse, and suddenly he was glowing in a blue-ish-white aura and Traid had been thrown off him and quite a few feet away. Lifting his head up, Sora saw a hand in front of his face, and looking up a bit more, Riku stood over him with a bright smile on his face, relief overly-evident on his face. Sora snatched Riku's hand and leapt up, grabbing Riku in an excited and warm embrace before Riku knew the brown haired boy was off the ground. Riku laughed easily, the first time in days and returned it heartily.

Sora stepped away and looked into Riku's eyes, looking for the world like he had just uncovered some great mystery, "Y-you and I have-"

"Yes, we've been bonded since birth. There's a lot we weren't supposed to know for a while, but I guess this kind of puts it out in the open huh?"

Sora nodded happily.

------

Traid stood up, anger seized his heart, and he spit out a tooth that had broken when he was hit by that blast that had to have come from the Guardian. What was his name? Traid shrugged, it did not matter now and would not any other time.

"I had the blade," he muttered, struggling to his feet, "and it disappeared. That brat will loose those bonds that hold the Keyblade to him willingly when I finish with him." He could see Sora and his Guardian ahead of him, completely disregarding him as if he were some average harmless servant. Brushing blood away that had tried to drip into his eyes, Traid smirked, "Suffer."

-------

Riku's head jerked up suddenly, he pulled Sora to him closely and raised his palm up and a barrier flared to life around the two, a bright light that seemed to suck all other light into it. A swift current of air slammed into it, causing a horrendous crash louder than thunder to sound around them. "Sora, we've got to-" He was cut off suddenly when he felt Sora jerk away from him, limping and still holding his left arm to his side.

Sora stepped beyond that barrier, and Riku could not help but gape when the barrier disappeared, like Sora had sucked the power right into himself. The glowing around the Bearer flared brighter and the Keyblade appeared in his hand as if it were a second thought. Sora's gaze was fixed upon the sneering form of Traid before him. Within minutes it seemed, the two were face to face once again. Sora's face could have been carved from stone, but Traid did not even flinch, even at the abnormally cold voice.

"You stole Kairi's heart, tried to kill Riku, and lied to and manipulated me. Your heart is carved from darkness though you believe yourself defending the Light. I will show you what true light is."

An aura of itself pulsated from the keyblade, Sora suddenly felt something synchonize with him, like someone else's heartbeat became his own. He took a moment to look at the Keyblade before his mind spoke to him again.

/Bring light to this darkness./

Before he truly realized what was happening, Sora plunged the Keyblade into Traid's heart. Tears gushed down his face when he saw the startled expression in those glittering green eyes. Light flared like wildfire around them, engulfing and embracing them, shielding the two from view.

Within the barrier of light, Sora was forced to let go of the Keyblade, power rushed from it and the source of the light barrier came from where the blade was burried in Traid's chest. Dark liquid leaked out of Traid's back, to be carried into the light and lost, probably burned away.

Before Sora had the chance to pull away, Traid grabbed his arm, a genuine smile crossing his face. His green eyes lit up in pure innocence. Sora looked toward him, tears streaming down from his eyes faster now, but before he could say anything, he was pulled into a warm embrace. Traid petted his head fondly and Sora crushed himself to the older male. "This was my fate Sora, I had to do this."

Sniffles and sobs broke Sora's voice, but he eventually said, "You really do walk in the light."

"But darkness harbored in my heart. I had to know where I belonged, and I suffered so much without my light."

The light stretched between them, building so brightly as to blind anyone who looked out of the corner of their eyes at the spectacle. Suddenly, it exploded in shimmers and all Sora saw went black.

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**A/N: Ok, I'm ending this now because I've just fought this stupid chapter since I started writing it. Ugh, I'm so sorry this took a bit to get out, but like I said, I've been fighting it to bend it the way I intended all of this to come out. Even still, there were things that just didn't work how they were supposed ta'. Well anyway, here it is!! . It's so gloomy outside that it's hard to be cheery...it'll always be weather, whether u like it or not I suppose.**

**Umm, the last few chapters maaaaaaay not be out for a while. Reason: Right now, at this moment, I'm at my grandparents' house and have been here since I began writing this. But, now I'm going home, (I live like four states away) and our computer crashed. We're trying to get another one, but I'm afraid I'll have to be posting from the library, if that. It's reaching the time of year where biking somewhere won't be an option for long. I'm sorry about this, but I'll try and get my comp at home up and running ASAP.**

**Good news, I'll be in a car for eight and a half hours tomorrow, which means, plenty of time to write stuff and think right? **

**I'm really sorry this chapter may have sucked and not been very interesting, but it's not over yet. There's more to come and hopefully it'll all be good and make you happy.**

**TTFN!**


	9. Believe

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Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

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**CHAPTER 9:**

Riku stood stiffly, staring grimly at the bright column of light; Sora's escence flowed from that light strongly, strengthening the pessimistic thoughts racing through Riku's mind, and making it all the harder to push them away. (Right now, I'm verbally inclined...thoughts are hard to come by, sorry bout this...;.;) He did not like this, that light could mean Sora was already gone, that he was using far too much power, Traid had reclaimed the Keyblade, too many possibilities and too much he did not know; what he did know, he was not sure of.

The only sign to show Riku's hidden agony was the gradual drip of sweat from his forehead. His stoic inner calm was shattered, the person's life he was meant to guard and protect was behind that wall of blistering light, and only the two behind it knew what was happening. He did not dare try and pass that wall, he had once almost given his heart to darkness before he knew his destiny. The intense purity of that light could burn away his heart if there was any lingering darkness. Riku could admit to himself now that his heart was not as strong as Sora's was. Becoming frustrated, he balled his hands into fists and bit down on his bottom lip anxiously, "Cummon Sora, you can do this! Come back to me!" Suddenly, Riku dropped his fists and looked to Kairi's motionless body, she looked to be simply sleeping, encompassed in a peaceful dream, 'I wonder how peacefully one can sleep with no heart.' Riku thought idylly.

He was suddenly caught off balance as the ground shook beneath him, his legs threatened to buckle under him and Riu reached out blindly for something to hold on to. Remarkably, he he stayed on his feet, swaying each time the earth moved. Something like a beam of blue energy shot from the column of light that had grown bright, if that were at all possible, and struck Kairi in the chest. Riku stumbled to her side, cradling her as gently as he could while getting thrown around himself in the cataclysm.

Her eyes fluttered open and she utter a confused sound before the trembling earth and thunderous noise caught her attention. Kairi's frightened gaze caught Riku's and she sat up quickly, "Wh-what's going on?" She had to shout to be heard.

Relief surged from Riku, Kairi wasx fine, she had her heart back, that mean something had to have gone right. The princess's heart was now restored, and that meant that the light would be more stable.

"Sora!" Kairi shouted panicked.

Riku's attention was turned back to the current situation. The light had faded around Sora, and he was standing over Traid's fallen form, blood dripping freely from his many wounds again. His shirt was nothing but torn bits of cloth hanging around his waist, exposing those deep diagonal gashes on his chest. Sora's pants were in a slightly better condidtion, but were quickly being staned and soaked in blood. Sora was heaving, his eyes were blue fire, burning with the effort he'd just exerted using all of that power. But none of that was what caused Riku's heart to leap into his throat; tears spilled down Sora's face, his posture was that of a person who'd just had their soul beaten, an innocence torn away from them. The Keyblade he held limply at his side.

"Sora!" Before he knew what he was doing, Riku found himself on his feet, somehow stable on the heaving ground, ready to throw his arms around the Keybearer.

"Riku, the door!" He turned around quickly to see Kairi pointing at an open doorway through which the cave of the Secret Place on the island was visible. Riku stared at it dumbly for a moment, that was the way to safety, he just had to get everyone through it. He turned again to Sora and was about to grab him when suddenly, a deafening crack, like lightning striking a tree made infinite times louder, sounded from beneath their feet. Kairi screamed, gaping at the widening gap in the earth between her and Riku. "The ground is breaking!"

Panic welled inside Riku, seconds stretched for hours but passed by before he could grasp them. Did Sora not notice what was happening? How come he wasn't racing for the door with them? Riku threw a call over his hsoulder before turnening around fully, "Cummon Sora, we've gotta - SORA!" Riku turned around to find Sora collapsed on Traid's body. Riku cursed himself, of course Sora wouldn't be able to stay stable, his wounds were too serious, he had probably lost too much blood.

Kairi was near tears, she knew all that had happened since she had lost her heart, regaining it put all that knowledge and all of the knowledge of her own destiny into her mind. Sora had spoken something to her, possibly through her heart, for it was only meant for her ears, "Don't worry about me, go Kairi, you've got to get out of here, this world is going to fall apart. It was held together by Traid and he's gone now, there's nothing keeping it stable." He was protecting the Princess of Heart, as was his duty, but it killed Kairi inside to know that she'd have to leave him, "Riku! We've got to go!"

"You go!" Riku was already moving toward Sora, stumbling, falling, and trying to keep away from the cracks opening up all over the earth, "Tell Tidus, Selphie, everyone what happened, I'm not leaving Sora!"

"But Riku-"

"GO!" He turned to her, his eyes blaing, command written plainly on his face, he'd brook no arguments and before she knew what she was doing, Kairi was stubmlign through the door, running out of the Secret Place.

Meanwhile, Riku had reached Sora's nearly lifeless body; gently, he picked Sora up and nearly droppped him from shock. Sora was alarmingly light, more so that he cshould be, and he was cold as ice. "I'm gonna get help for you Sora, hold on! I beliefve in you!" (1) Sora groaned and twitched his arm still holding securly to the Keyblade. This raised Riku's spirits slightly, Sora was still alive, if barely.

A rather violent tremor ripped Riku from his relieve and, looking down, he saw large pieces of earth fall into a chasm of split earth. Looking above him on a whim, Riku couldn't help but recoil and gasp in horror, the sky itself was cracking, in fact, the entire world around the was crumbling and the door was still quite a ways away. (Sora broke the world O.O) They'd never make it, but Riku would not give up, he pulled Sora close to his body, completely disregarding the sticky red substance soaking into his clothing, and sprinted off to the doorway.

Riku's legs were surprisingly swift despite the fact that they were trembling, he made an effort not to think about it and jynx himself, just concentrating on the door; and suddenly, the door was a few feet before them. Waisting no time, he lunged toward it, turning himself around so that he'd land on his back and cushion the fall for the wounded Sora. But Riku's body did not hit the stone floor of the Secret Place, it bounced off solid wood, knocking the wind, and all hope it seemed, out of him. He hit the ground still clutching Sora tight to him, reluctant to ever let go. And then, another defening crack echoed through his mind and the world feel out from beneath him, and he and Sora fell.

--------

Riku awoke, or at least thought he did, Sora was floating, or falling, in this place he could not tell the difference, above him, with his arms around Riku's neck. It felt nice, Riku felt bliss at that moment; it was just them, he smiled contentedly forgetting everything else that had happened. Sora hd then taken Riku's hands, moving away from his to arm's length, and smiled down at him, blood had stopped flowing from the wounds on Sora's body, but they were still a nasty shade of red.

There was a giant pool of light beheath them that they were falling into, Riku could see it reflected in Sora's eyes. Somehow he knew it was warm, and welcoming, he and Sora would share it together.

Sora looked down at Riku, his blue eyes glittering in that reflected light, sending it back to Riku. "Believe." He whispered suddenly and intense light burst from his body, engulfing Riku along with the light his body fell into.

"Sora!" Riku called alarmed before the light swallowed everything.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, tada!!! Yes, I have gotten to the library and typed this out. This chapter is kinda...eh, different. It's very much how I wanted it to turn out, and I'm soooo happy that it came out that I didn't have to change the last chapter! -Sighs happily- **

**Oh, the next chapter is getting out soon, I'm writing it as u read. This is what happens when I can't sleep at four o'clock in the morning....o.o' Or when my brother steals my tv in my room...I have the PS2 in my room so that's where all those PS games are played.**

**(1) All this 'believe' stuff will make sense next chapter, there's a reason Riku's being really protective of Sora and it's not just because he's the Guardian. **

**-Gives Shar a cookie- I hope this was good enough for you, I promise my next chapter will not be long in coming. You don't have to go insane now! Tankies for all ur loverly reviews!**

**BTW: Sorry for all the grammar mistakes, but I don't really have the time (u only get an hour on library computers) to proofread and I really wanted to get this posted. **

**TTFN**


	10. How Long Can Forever Last?

**_Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;_**

* * *

_Inside Us All - Creed _(1)

_When I'm all alone   
And no one else is there   
Waiting by the phone   
To remind me   
I'm still here   
When shadows paint the scenes   
Where spotlights used to fall   
And I'm left wondering   
Is it really worth it all? _

There's a peace inside us all   
Let it be your friend   
It will help you carry on In the end   
There's a peace inside us all

Life can hold you down   
When you're not looking up   
Can't you hear the sounds?   
Hearts beating out loud   
Although the names change   
Inside we're all the same   
Why can't we tear down these walls?   
To show the scars we're covering

There's a peace inside us all   
Let it be your friend   
It will help you carry on In the end   
There's a peace inside us all

There's a peace   
Oh there's a peace inside us all   
Let it be... Oh, I said let it be, let it be your friend   
There's a peace inside us all   
Let it be your friend   
It will help you carry on In the End   
There's a peace inside us all   
There's a peace, inside us all, Inside us all   
Let it be, Let it be, Let it be,   
Let it be, Let it be, Let it be,   
Let it be, Let it be your friend.

* * *

_"Riku, why won't you tell me what's wrong?"_

_"You wouldn't understand."_

_"Says you! Quit being so guarded and tell me!" He stood with his feet firmly planted on the ground, his arms crossed and his eyes demanding an honest answer. Many would cave beneath such a look coming from him, least of all, Riku. It seemed just too pure._

_This was the first time Riku'd ever held anything from Sora; to be honest he could not figure out why exactly he was holding it in, he wanted more than anything to figure out what had caused this change and speaking to him could bring answers, it usually did, Sora had that way of thinking, but this was HIS, Riku's, life, and none of Sora's business, at least, that's how he reasoned it out in his head. "Why don't you just stop being so annoying. Why don't you go play with that Kairi girl." It's not that he hated her, she was just . . . always there, girls were annoying. _(Yes, I will admit, we DO get annoying, especially when we're little . I know I was to my brother.)

_"Because I want to know what's wrong with you. And I don't want to go play with Kairi, she always tries to make me join a tea party or take some stupid quiz to see if I'm in love with someone, you should know, she makes you do it too!"_ (BTW, this part is taking place around when they're like thirteen or something, you know, when you're just becoming a teen but you don't quite wanna let go of those things you did when you were still in the single digits. No offense to those who are around that age, but hey, this is getting influence from my personal experiences.)

_"Whatever." His voice was condescending, why dd he not just come out and say he was mad at Sora for something? Maybe because he could not figure out exactly what was making him mad about his best friend._

_Frustrated anger flared within Sora, he reached up and took Riku's shoulder, Riku was going to tell him SOMETHING before this was over, and nothing was over when someone just walked away. However, Sora was completely unprepared for what happened._

_Riku spun around so fast Sora had to take a step back and, before he could blink, Riku belted him square in the jaw. Such was the momentum, that Sora went flying end over end, crashing about five feet away on his stomach in the sand and skidding another few inches, scraping sking off of his knees and arms. Riku tensed a second, looking at his hand with unfocused eyes, it was the first time he'd ever struck Sora in true anger, it was the first time he'd ever been angry with the boy. He felt like he had just defiled something or disgraced some ancient honored custom._

_In just two steps, he was at Sora's side. Sora had just come back to consciousness, groaning and rubbing his jaw. Riku took the boy in his arms, tears dripping down his face, "Sora, Sora I'm so sorry!" Sora blinked in confusion, it took a moment to remember what happened and another to register that Riku was crying for him. Riku never cried. Not even when he broke his leg that one time._

_"Wh-why?" Sora cringed, he had hoped to approach the situation slightly less harshly. _

_"Apparently, however, Riku took Sora's action for something else, he hugged Sora closer, burying his head in the younger boy's hair, "I don't know, I just feel so depressed, like darkness is eating away at my heart. It's like, there's nothing left to believe in." _(2)

_"You can believe in me, I' m not going anywhere." The headache Sora had abated somewhat, he looked Riku straight in the eyes, "and Kairi's not taking me anywhere either."_

_Riku pulled back slightly in shock. Sora had just solved a problem he did not even know was there, had just found the answer to his problem before he even knew exaclty what that problem was, "I know that now." Riku pulled him back into that comforting embrace, putting one hand on Sora's head, the other around his waist and Riku inhaled his scent happily._

_Black storm clouds several leagues out to sea yet traveling quickly in the direction of Destiny Islands just dispersed, leaving a bright sky to shine undisturbed upon the peaceful shores of said islands._

-------------

Riku shot awake, sweat was pouring down his face and his breath came in short gasps. Hiar that had fallen from the tie that held it back while he slept brushed across his cheeks. His wide eyes darted around his room, trying to grasp just where exactly he was; his room, a desk sat against the wall adjacent to hjhis bed, with a small lamp in the corner of it. A few papers littered along ith pens and a small pewter dragon figurine. On the other wall stood a dresser covered with clean and dirty clothes and a few seashells he and Sora had found. They all had a weird desine on them that made them worth keeping. Morning sunlight filtered through the open, dark blue curtains on the window, "But I close me curtains at night.' Strange, his mind puzled over it for but a half of a second, for a moment, still lost in the4 fog of disturbed sleepsleep, he gazed out the window, letting his mind wander, something else seemed to be keeping his mind fogged.

That dream, Riku smiled, he remembered that day, it meant everything to him, well, the end of it anyway. It was a promise that Sora would never leave him no matter who came along. Riku could not help but be greedy when it came to Sora, his parents were hardly around, and Sora seemed to be the only one who could spark any kind of real emotion in him, he just felt awkward around everyone else of his age, he had somehow grown up a little quicker than any of them and just found it slightly annoying when they tried to fit him into their games. Sora never did that though, he hadn't grown up as fast as Riku, but he KNEW Riku and had a way of making Riku have fun in doing the simplest things at times. Going back to the dream, that day was also the day he made his first pledge to Sora, he had tried to make it taht no one would hurt Sora anymore, but Sora just waved it off, somehow, someone would hurt him, purposefully or not, but it would happen. So Riku pledged to protect Sora with everything he had and would do all he could to see that Sora would never get hurt again, especially by his hand. Oddly enough, after that, Riku had begun to take it harder on Sora while the trained, Sora did have to know how to defend himself after all. Of course, at the time, neither had a clue about what the future held for them, but it would not matter either way to Riku.

Riku knew a stupid smile had graced his features, but at the time, he could not care less. And then, suddenly, it all came back to him like a slap in the face. The sleep fog lifted from his mind and his mind screamed, 'SORA!'

"You nearly gave me a heartattack, waking up like that. But you seemed like you were thinking about something nice so I kept quiet. Morning. You took a nasty fall yesterday, you ok?"

Riku whipped his head around, just noticing Kairi who had just apparently risen from the chair in front of his desk, the clothes that where drapped across now lay lifelessly on the floor. Kairi giggled and moved to sit on the end of his bed. 'Well, that explains the curtains.' "What're you doing here?"

"Well, we were supposed to have a date today." Kairi leaned back on her elbows and looked up at the ceiling, kicking her legs out away from the bed before letting them relax back to their former position.

"Date!?" Riku blinked, Kairi was acting like nothing was wrong, and now this? "What are you talking about, where's Sora? Is he ok?"

"Don't play stupid Riku , you always do this whenever we're supposed to do something together. And who's this Sora, why would I know what's wrong with him? I thought I'd met all of your friends."

Pushing the date thing aside, Riku gaped. Kairi forget Sora? How could that possibly happen? No, she was just playing some kind of game, some kind of sick game. "Sora, Kairi. About yay high, spiky brown hair, brightest blue eyes you've ever seen, lightly tanned ski-"

"Riku," Kairi interrupted, "you were supposed to get over imaginary friends years ago! There's no one like that here. Must've been some kind of weird dream-Hey! Where're you going?!" Riku was dressed and out the door before Kairi could think to follow him.

----------------

Several moments later, Riku burst through the front door of what he thought was Sora's house. Kairi could only have been joking, a cruel, awful joke, but a joke none the less. 'I thought she liked Sora, why would she try and convince me he doesn't exist. Does she know, and trying to mess with my mind? He better be ok!"

"Riku?" Relief washed over him like waves when he saw Sora's mother, a tall woman, she could always be found with a pink bow in her long braided hair. Most often she wore sundresses of a pink hue, Sora's usually peaceful demeanor and strong sense of justice came from her. HIs clear blue eyes, strange hairstyle, and willingness to fight for what he believed and held dear came from his father, who appeared to not be present at the moment, though the huge sword, as tall as the man, still stood in its case in the livingroom. The thing unnerved him, yes, Sora's father was a part-time bounty hunter, and he used that sword.

"Riku, what's the matter? You know you're welcome here any time, but we have no jobs for you at the moment. You finished everything yesterday. You look absolutely pale, are you sick? Come, I'll find you some medicine." Aerith was the Islands' doctor. It was believed Aerith could heal anything, and if anything serious had to be done, the person was sent to the mainland with explicit instructions that doctors listened to. The woman certainly was influencial, Sora's whole family, it seemed were nothing short of miracle workers.

"J-jobs?" He stared confusedly at Aerith's retreating back.

_Odd jobs, I do them all the time for them. They have no son to do them._

Riku trembled, that vocie, it was a memory, but one placed in his mind, "What's going on, where's Sora?"

"Riku?"

He came back to himself to see Aerith's emerald eyes staring into his own, feel her hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, her eyes darted to the ceiling in thought, tapping a finger on her lip to add to the effect, "Sora, such a lovely name, we've wanted a child and that would make a lovely name for a girl."

Suddenly, anger exploded inside Riku, "It's not a girl's name, he's your son! What's the matter with all of you?! This is NOT a joke!"

_Aerith and Cloud were never able to have a child of their own. They'd tried several times, but it just never happened._

Pushing her hand away, Riku rushed out of the house, he tried to run, buit the anger boiling inside quickened his heartrate and tried his limbs before he could put out the physical exertion.

"Riku, Riku stop!" Kairi finally caught up to him out of breath and panting, "calm down and tell me who this secret person is."

"Secret....the Secret Place, the door!" Riku's head snapped up and his energy peeked. He took off across the beach and hopped in his boat. It took no time at all for him to reach the Island all of the younger generation 'played' on. Riku had no trouble dashing across the sand onto the path that lead to the Secret Cave. Sora, Riku, and Kairi were the only ones at the moment who knew about this place, a veil of leaves and vines hid the entrace quite well, but it was bound to be discovered by someone sometime. This time though, when Riku brushed aside the covering, nothing but solid rock and tree roots stood before him.

Riku pounded his fists against the solid stone, tears of frustration cascaded from his eyes. He ignored the scrapes marring his smooth hands and the blood that slowly trickled from them. "Sora, this isn't the end, where ARE you?!" He was tired, even though he'd only just woken a few hours ago, or so it seemed, "They're . . . trying to make me forget, but - I don't want to."

His tear blinded gaze shifted to that of the Paopu Island, a figure flickered before his eyes, standing on the far edge of it, looking out into the ocean. A lazy ocean breeze combed through the bizzar, (umm, can't spell that word....;.;) yet soft spikes and ruffled his clothing. He turned, closing his glistening sapphire eyes in a cheerful smile and waved at Riku. Riku wasted no time in stumbling over himself and dashing to the island, hope quickening his step with every stride.

When he reached the island, no one was there. He spun himself around, refusing to believe Sora could have just disappeared, refusing to believe that it may have been his imagination. Eventually though, his hope ran thin, throwing himself to his knees, he dropped his head into his hands and cried, completely unable to hold anything back now. Anger, frustration, worry, hurt, and loss, among more emotions than he could put labels to. One hand dropped to the ground and clutched the warm sand, picking it up, he chucked it into the ocean.

For hours, he came to realize, after he had cried himself out, Riku sat there, simply watching the ocean and sky emotionlessly. They skittered across the surface of his mind, but somehow he could not find the energy to acknowledge them anymore. Suddenly, something fell next to him, a bright yellow fruit in the shape of a star, with a small leaf protruding from what was declared the top of it. Riku grasped the Paopu fruit, looking at its unmarred surface. It was not even ripe enough to fall from the tree, the ideal time to eat, but odd that it had fallen so soon.

Anger and loss filled him again, apparently he was still capable of emotion, and he stood, fresh tears springing from his eyes. "HERE!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs and chucking the fruit at the horizon, "share this with me! Be with me forever!" Riku fell to his knees, more than crying, sobbing actually, "Forever," he whispered before falling to his side. He felt like a baby with all this crying, but Sora meant more than the world to him, he curled up into a ball, not attempting to stop crying anymore, "You said believe, but, I have nothing to believe in. You're not here." His eyes drooped and he fell asleep with one last thought lingering.

_I love you._

_

* * *

_

**A/N: YAY FOR TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!!! Ok, sorry, had to get that out, 'cause it is after two . . .I get all my inspirations at the wrong times. OOO I have good news!!! I have a disk now!!! So I can type these last few chapters at home, but the bad news is that I hate my keyboard, it's WICKED hard to type on. Oh, and no, this isn't the last chapter, nor will the next one be, not to my knowledge at the moment....**

**Just a note, I love my reviewers and I'm sorry it's taking so long now to get these chappies out. I was doing so well when I started. ;-; It'll pick up now that I have a floppy!!!!!!**

**OOOO guess what I just discovered!!!!!!! I LOVE GRAVITATION!!! Gah, such an AWSOME series!!! I totally recommend it. The catalogue _Right Stuf_ has nothing but goooood stuff to say about that. Gravie's shounen-ai and it's just SO kool! I'll be headin to the mall sometime to pick up the next in the series here soon. Just gotta get a ride . . . I hate having to wait for one of those....Anyway......**

**(1) - Ok, so I found this song and COMPLETELY thought it applied. There's more situations that'll apply and such, so basically this fic has two theme songs. And yes, I have a moderate obsession with Creed, completely sucks they split. Well, I have the albums YAY!**

**(2) - This is no normal over-exausted teen angst thing. I'd just like to state that Riku's falling into darkness at this point. It starts out w/regular teen angst, he's all confuddled inside and just starts to turn to darkness. And yes, that storm is the heartless coming, with Riku's darkness guiding them.**

**Everything okles now? Once again, I'm open for writing a little Q & A chappie at the end of this just in case someone has questions.**

**TTFN!!!!!**


	11. Epilogue?

_**Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;**_

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**Just so you all appreciate this chapter, I've noticed that when you write something, you find ANYTHING to distract you. Don't believe a person when they say they're trying to find inspiration, they're just trying to find something to do other than write. I did my laundry in the middle of writing this!!!!! -.-**

_----------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Aren't I still a little young for this?" Sora spoke through the side of his grin as he waved at a woman retreating through the overly-grandiose doors trailing a reluctant child who kept trying to look back just one more time at the sable-haired youth who had just given him a blessing. The door were closed softly behind the pair, as softly as doors as large as those could get; the 'click' echoing decently off the walls of the spacious and sparcely decorated throne room, his mother told him the room was simply waiting for his own touch, and Sora was once again left to his own devices, but not completely alone. Once he was sure they were gone, Sora winced and just about dropped to the floor, wrapping his arms around his chest.

Riku was instantly at his side, holding him gently and easing him to the floor so he could regain the breath he lost, "Countless advisors and viziers have offered to take over until you're older, or feeling better. You remember that the plan was to wait until-"

"Yeah yeah, I know. But somehow, a blessing from someone who works for the Keybearer doesn't sound as good as one from the actual Bearer would be." Sora cracked an eye open and grinned at Riku.

" 'Sides, you've always wanted people to see you as more mature than you really are-"

"Hey!" Both of Sora's eyes were open, he leaned his weight on one arm, palm down on the floor, while he shook his free fist and tried to scowl, pouted actually, at Riku, "what's that supposed to mean?!"

"It's really amazing how fast our lives have changed ya know?" Uh-oh, Riku's gone introspective again, Sora shook his head and stood shakily, pushing away any help Riku may have tried to offer.

"It kinda had to, I still can't help but feel guilty," Sora looked cautiously at Riku, gauging his reaction, when none came, he decided to take a different direction, Sora knew what had happened was a very delicate subject for Riku, "but look at it this way, it's like all the adventures were used to dream about

"Slightly less gracefull, but-"

"SORA I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!"

In a rather spontaneous burst of fear driven adrenaline, Sora leapt behind the large throne sitting in the middle of the room on a pedastal, guaranteeing all that came to speak with its occupant had to look up to see. Kairi may have completely missed him if it weren't for the fact that the back of the throne was not solid, but silver metal bent in the shape of hearts, thus giving it its name, nothing to fill the middle of them. Sora's spiky brown hair was quite visible.

"You've been told that you should not be seeing people, you should be in your bed resting! Your injuries are FAR from healed, you won't let me touch you, and because of that you WON'T be healed for a long time!" Sora sat up and grinned stupidly at her. Kairi was a Princess of Heart, amoung things he had learned, Sora discovered that there were, in fact, many other worlds out there, each bearing a Princess of Heart to moniotor the keyhole of that world. It was important to maintain the balance of light and darkness flowing to and from a world, and a Princess was directly connected with the light, rumor had it that each had actually been birthed from the light for that soul purpose. Either way, it was only natural that each had an ingrained knowledge of how to use magic, it was not that Sora was exactly reluctant to be touched by magic, his wounds hurt whenever he moved and he would love them to be gone, but Kairi was not exactly experienced with her magic. There used to be more tapestries in the throne room, but fire had seen to them and not the single candle it had been intended for.

"I tried to talk him out of it." Riku leaned against the throne Sora was cowering behind casually, the black of his skin-tight tank and baggy cargo pants contrasted sharply to the almost white silver of the hearts. Most in the palace turned up a nose at his attire, for almost everyone in the place wore white, apparently if you wore a different color, you gave in to the darkness, but Sora rather liked how black looked on Riku, white was a bit much on him, especially with Riku's hair the way it was, "but he's just incredibly stubb-"

"And you! You shouldn't TRY to convince him, leave him no other option! Sora's gonna get sick and DIE!!" Kairi huffed and Riku just rolled his eyes, this getting interrupted was starting to get on his nerves.

"Kairi, just because he won't let you touch him doesn't mean Sora has no one to help him. His mother IS a healer, she wouldn't have allowed Sora off the Islands if she thought he was going to die."

"Where is Aerith anyway?" Kairi looked around as if the woman was simply hiding out of sight.

Sora popped up from his pathetic hiding spot laughing nervously, "Mom went with dad on one of his mission things."

"Great, so they left us with no supervision what-so-ever? Your parents have unending faith in you Sora." Sora's only response was to laugh a little too loudly and scratch the back of his neck.

"Not exactly Riku, that Leon and Yuffie, I believe their names were, are here." As if on cue, the doors clicked open and a rather tall man with hair much like Riku's, only brown and steal-blue eyes that seemed colder sometimes than the arctic poked his head in and announced rather gruffly, "The procession with Princess Aurora is here." With that, the door closed and this time, a slam bellowed through the room.

"That's my cue!" Kairi smiled brightly and rushed out through a smaller door on a wall adjacent to the doors that would take her out in front of the foyer.

Sora sighed dejectedly and slumped down on the throne, the plush sky-blue velvet cushions huffing out air from the sudden weight, and summoned his keyblade to sit across his lap. "I could use those advisors now."

Riku sat himself on an arm and wrapped his arms around Sora's smaller frame, "I could tell them to beat it if you want." Sora leaned into the embrace and tilted his head up to look into Riku's aquamarine orbs. He smiled and shook his head ever-so-slightly.

"Na, this is the last one today right? 'Sides, this is important news right."

Riku scoffed, "It's always of the utmost importance." He leaned down and brushed his lips across Sora's who blinked dreamily, "I say let it wait."

The sound of the door clicking open shook both of them from their haze, Riku leapt up to stand with his arms crossed and face a stoic calm next to the throne. Sora tried his hardest not to look bored, tired, and irritated by the small pain on his chest.

_----------------------------------------------------------------------_

**A/N: Weeeeeeeeee epilogue. Now I know there has to be questions yes? I can answer everything u ask now. I will say this, I PLAN TO MAKE A SEQUEL TYPE CONTINUATION THING!!!!! Squim! my special word. Anyway, sorry this took a while to get out but I'm actually glad I waited cuz I like how it turned out.**

**Oh yes, I forgot to mention, Aerith and Cloud are Sora's parents. Questions about them will be answered and I will say that I plan to have them play some kind of part in the next installment.**

**May I rant for a moment, I'm totally in love with Gravitation, I owe it to Kingdom Hearts actually in it's own twisted way. I am going insane, I need volume five of the manga, but I've no way to get it!!! -sobs- No money sucks, and my father's goin Christmas shopping this Friday at the mall, normally I'd say "Hey dad, can u spare ten bucks?" But somehow I don't think he will, it'd just give him ideas for presents. I CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG!!!!!! Bad enough that I have to wait for Advent Children AND KH Two!!! Chain of Memories is out, but I don't have a GBA. ;.;**

**Anyway, as you can see, I don't bode well with anticipation, thus I sincerely apologize those who have anticipated the end (kinda) of this thing. Good news though! For those who liked _Wings_ and wanted more of it, I have decided to write more for it! I even have an idea! Warning tho, Aerith and Cloud are Sora's parents again....I just think it fits ya know? Even though in FF Seven, I support the Tifa/Cloud pairing. Cloud's just a player . ANYWAY I'm gonna stop now if you haven't already stopped reading.**

**REMEMBER: Just submit questions to me and I will answer them!!!!**

**TTFN**


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